"O mighty Isis...!"
Today's Comic Art Friday is brought to you by Luxor Las Vegas, the world's only 30-story, pyramid-shaped hotel. (At least that's what it says right here on the side of my official Luxor coffee mug.) It's exactly like ancient Egypt, only with a zillion slot machines, an interminable check-in line, gift shops, and a decent buffet.
Comic book superheroes don't always originate in the comics. Sometimes, they debut in other media, then transition to the four-color page.
Take, for example, the mighty Isis, costar of that icon of '70s Saturday morning television, The Shazam!/Isis Hour. You remember, Shazam! was the show in which a Tiger Beat pinup version of Billy Batson tooled around the country with a meddlesome old geezer in a Winnebago, and Captain Marvel magically transformed into a different actor halfway through the series run. (One of these Comic Art Fridays, we'll have to discuss the reasons why every show and comic featuring Captain Marvel is entitled Shazam! and not, well, Captain Marvel. But not today.)
But for many of us viewers, Shazam! was merely the opening act to the real entertainment: The Secrets of Isis, later shortened simply to Isis. Starring the lovely and talented JoAnna Cameron as sort of a kinder, gentler, and less hormonally threatening precursor to Kate Jackson's beautiful-but-brainy Sabrina Duncan on Charlie's Angels, The Secrets of Isis presented the superheroic adventures of high school science teacher Andrea Thomas, whose enchanted amulet transformed her — Captain Marvel-style — into a reincarnated Egyptian goddess whenever she uttered the incantation, "O mighty Isis...!"
As stated in the show's ponderous opening narration, Isis could "soar as the falcon soars... run with the speed of gazelles... and command the elements of sky and earth." Accompanied by her pet raven Tut (who never quoth "Nevermore," or anything else, on the show — and who apparently was much despised by his human costar), Isis busted bad guys, defended the defenseless, and taught her teenaged students valuable lifeskills, usually summarized in an awkward sermonette at the end of each episode.
The show's production values were bargain-basement, and its scripts trite and cheesier than a Velveeta avalanche (hey, it was Saturday morning kidvid, not the Royal Shakespeare Company), but JoAnna Cameron was a reasonably competent actress (not to mention easy on the eyes) who lent an air of realism and class to Isis that seemed terminally lacking in Shazam!.
During the latter stages of the Isis series, DC Comics published a short-lived title based on the TV character. Ironically, the reason Isis existed at all was a licensing dispute that arose between DC and Filmation, the production company that developed Shazam! After the success of Shazam!'s first season, Filmation wanted to produce a companion series featuring Mary Marvel, the good Captain's sister in the comics. DC quoted a higher licensing fee than Filmation was willing to fork over, so the TV people created their own character with similar powers — essentially, Mary Marvel in faux Egyptian drag.
Since you Comic Art Friday regulars already know how near and dear to my heart Mary Marvel is, you'll realize it's only natural that Isis should find a happy home in my art collection too. And indeed, she does.
I commissioned my first Isis image from the artist who signs his work "Shade." (I don't think he'll mind my telling you that his real name is Scott Jones.) Shade's deft pencil work here makes for a striking presentation.
More recently, one of my favorite commission artists, Michael Dooney (best known for his work on various Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles projects), added this stunning portrait to my Isis gallery.
A seriously underrated talent in my not-often-humble estimation, Michael has a knack for "good girl" stylings that's matched by few other artists active in the industry today. He combines an illustrator's linecraft and a classically inspired sense of design with just the right touch of whimsy to create truly magical art.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to deciphering the Rosetta Stone.
Comic book superheroes don't always originate in the comics. Sometimes, they debut in other media, then transition to the four-color page.
Take, for example, the mighty Isis, costar of that icon of '70s Saturday morning television, The Shazam!/Isis Hour. You remember, Shazam! was the show in which a Tiger Beat pinup version of Billy Batson tooled around the country with a meddlesome old geezer in a Winnebago, and Captain Marvel magically transformed into a different actor halfway through the series run. (One of these Comic Art Fridays, we'll have to discuss the reasons why every show and comic featuring Captain Marvel is entitled Shazam! and not, well, Captain Marvel. But not today.)
But for many of us viewers, Shazam! was merely the opening act to the real entertainment: The Secrets of Isis, later shortened simply to Isis. Starring the lovely and talented JoAnna Cameron as sort of a kinder, gentler, and less hormonally threatening precursor to Kate Jackson's beautiful-but-brainy Sabrina Duncan on Charlie's Angels, The Secrets of Isis presented the superheroic adventures of high school science teacher Andrea Thomas, whose enchanted amulet transformed her — Captain Marvel-style — into a reincarnated Egyptian goddess whenever she uttered the incantation, "O mighty Isis...!"
As stated in the show's ponderous opening narration, Isis could "soar as the falcon soars... run with the speed of gazelles... and command the elements of sky and earth." Accompanied by her pet raven Tut (who never quoth "Nevermore," or anything else, on the show — and who apparently was much despised by his human costar), Isis busted bad guys, defended the defenseless, and taught her teenaged students valuable lifeskills, usually summarized in an awkward sermonette at the end of each episode.
The show's production values were bargain-basement, and its scripts trite and cheesier than a Velveeta avalanche (hey, it was Saturday morning kidvid, not the Royal Shakespeare Company), but JoAnna Cameron was a reasonably competent actress (not to mention easy on the eyes) who lent an air of realism and class to Isis that seemed terminally lacking in Shazam!.
During the latter stages of the Isis series, DC Comics published a short-lived title based on the TV character. Ironically, the reason Isis existed at all was a licensing dispute that arose between DC and Filmation, the production company that developed Shazam! After the success of Shazam!'s first season, Filmation wanted to produce a companion series featuring Mary Marvel, the good Captain's sister in the comics. DC quoted a higher licensing fee than Filmation was willing to fork over, so the TV people created their own character with similar powers — essentially, Mary Marvel in faux Egyptian drag.
Since you Comic Art Friday regulars already know how near and dear to my heart Mary Marvel is, you'll realize it's only natural that Isis should find a happy home in my art collection too. And indeed, she does.
I commissioned my first Isis image from the artist who signs his work "Shade." (I don't think he'll mind my telling you that his real name is Scott Jones.) Shade's deft pencil work here makes for a striking presentation.
More recently, one of my favorite commission artists, Michael Dooney (best known for his work on various Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles projects), added this stunning portrait to my Isis gallery.
A seriously underrated talent in my not-often-humble estimation, Michael has a knack for "good girl" stylings that's matched by few other artists active in the industry today. He combines an illustrator's linecraft and a classically inspired sense of design with just the right touch of whimsy to create truly magical art.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to deciphering the Rosetta Stone.
SwanShadow was randomly pounding the keyboard at 12:05 PM
2 insisted on sticking two cents in:
Michael, if you don't mind, how much do these drawings cost? My spouse recently lamented about lack of original art to be purchased and I thought of you and your drawings immediately.
Loved your review on Isis. I used to watch this as a kid. Found your blog when googling "Isis". Nice drawings!
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